Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

First off, this is a thread for discussion purposes only. I neither have the time, money, resources or knowledge to pull any of this off.

This is a fantasy car.

Having been involved with roadster since 1979, these thoughts have whirred around in my twisted mind.
A sleeper, stock looking cobra killer.

Here are my thoughts;
Widened frame, by about 3 to 4 inches.
Lengthened frame by about the same
4 wheel independent suspension, Discs all around, converted to 5 lug wheels.
Small block V8 with 6 speed

Entire body widened and lengthened to accommodate the changes. All while keeping the stock look.
You would never notice till you sat this side by side to a stock roadster.

Would something like this be a challenge? Yes.
Crazy? probably
A nightmare of fabrication? Yes
Bad Ass?? Most definitely.

Discuss!

I don't know much about this stuff but a guy named Crow here in LA did a tube frame which was wider with rack and pinion and a bunch of other mods. I saw it and it was at Solvang too.
Sounds like it's what you are looking for....for your fantasy car:-)

Linda

I know Crow. He is onto something. Very expensive but cool. Last I know he was working on putting a 350Z motor in a 67.5.

I'm looking at making the WHOLE car longer and wider. Bigger, badder, meaner. Imagine just the benefits to those big feet guys to have a larger, longer cockpit.

Any pics of Crow's frame at Solvang??

Yes probably Alvin has some.
I like your idea though. I've been saying Nissan should update the car and put it out there but they have no vision
Linda

just click on picture for more shots

I saw Crow three Sundays ago and he was thinking about selling the car (frame?). Maybe you should get in touch with him.

Thanks for the photo's, Alvin.

I haven't seen Crow in three years, the time since I moved up to Norcal. But we used to discuss his frame project. Nice to see the progress.

Funny thing looking at those pics, It reminds me that I have the motor and transmission from that car.

@ Garm. I don't have the kind of money at this point for that even if it were for sale. And my vision is something a bit more than that.

Like I said in the first post............"a Fantasy"

I always wanted to do the same except maybe not longer, I like the looks
I was dreaming of 2-3 inches wider, just to clear the exhaust for a 370Z and bigger tires......They are getting cheap enough to buy a wreaked car. Too bad I don't live closer, we could get started....LOL....

fj20spl311 wrote:I always wanted to do the same except maybe not longer, I like the looks
I was dreaming of 2-3 inches wider, just to clear the exhaust for a 370Z and bigger tires......They are getting cheap enough to buy a wreaked car. Too bad I don't live closer, we could get started....LOL....

I'm thinking cut it down the middle and widen by 4 inches. Bigger tires, wider stance, more room in the engine bay, maybe get 2 more gallons fuel capacity, more interior room.

As far as I know an ac cobra has a wheel base of 90 inches whereas the roadster is 89.5. lengthening the car is more for visual balance and possible manipulation of center of gravity.While I like the look as well, I think if the car was wider, yet the same length it might look a bit odd. In my book, 4 inches wider and 4 inches longer is the magic formula.
If someone just wanted more rubber flares would do the trick, but my vision is to visually keep the car looking just the same............just bigger.

If I was a rich man...........I'd do it.

RFR wrote:

fj20spl311 wrote:I always wanted to do the same except maybe not longer, I like the looks
I was dreaming of 2-3 inches wider, just to clear the exhaust for a 370Z and bigger tires......They are getting cheap enough to buy a wreaked car. Too bad I don't live closer, we could get started....LOL....

I'm thinking cut it down the middle and widen by 4 inches. Bigger tires, wider stance, more room in the engine bay, maybe get 2 more gallons fuel capacity, more interior room.

As far as I know an ac cobra has a wheel base of 90 inches whereas the roadster is 89.5. lengthening the car is more for visual balance and possible manipulation of center of gravity.

If I was a rich man...........I'd do it.

I have a sawall

I'm curious as to when (or if) some of the fabrication experts will chime in.

Would love to hear some ideas.

I would imagine some of the chopped rod guys, if also roadster enthusiasts, would be all over something like this. I've seen more out of the box thinking about what you could do with a roadster from guys like that than from the roadster crowd.

@ Phil, I like your thinking!

Nissan could afford to buy it, but they have no vision. Per usual

Linda

first thing that came to mind when you said "section":
http://www.britishv8.org/triumph/wayne.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


similar body-on-frame as a roadster
enjoy!

Why not just build a tube frame from scratch and fit a sectioned Roadster body to it afterward? That way, you could design something that would actually be driveable, and engineered with proper geometry, steering and suspension from the start.

Trying to modify a Roadster frame would present too many Gremlins. my $.02

That would make sense, and is what I had in mind. I do think for a prototype, chopping up a frame and sectioning it up would be a good baseline to scratch build a frame from. But then again I don't know. I just have the vision, I'm just an idea man not a fabricator.